In a ceremony held today in Riyadh, Engineer Abdul Rahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadli, the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, and Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al-Sawahah, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, launched the “Sanbala” program. This initiative aims to empower entrepreneurs to establish innovative startups in the agriculture sector. The event was attended by various leaders in the system and entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector.
During the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Engineer Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti, emphasized the ministry’s commitment to finding solutions to environmental and natural resource sustainability challenges. This includes achieving water and food security, improving the quality of life, enhancing economic impact, diversifying income sources, and developing national capabilities through innovative solutions. The focus is on supporting and empowering entrepreneurs to create an environment that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship, and a legislative framework that facilitates business practices.
Al-Mushaiti highlighted the ministry’s recent establishment of an agency for research and innovation and the launch of its executive strategy for research and innovation. This strategy includes programs to develop entrepreneurship, aiming to build a comprehensive entrepreneurial system. This involves creating an incubating and stimulating environment for innovative startups, attracting exceptional entrepreneurial talents, stimulating bold investments, and supporting startup communities.
The deputy minister stated that currently, startups in the environmental, water, and agriculture sectors constitute only 1% of the total startups in Saudi Arabia. The ministry aims to exceed the global average of startups in these sectors, which is around 10%. Al-Mushaiti expects that entrepreneurial activities in these sectors will contribute approximately 4 billion riyals to the non-oil GDP by 2030.
The ceremony witnessed the launch of the Agricultural Development Fund for startup financing, along with the signing of three memoranda of understanding between the ministry and the Agricultural Development Fund, the National Center for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Development (SUSTAIN), and the Saudi Agricultural and Animal Production Investment Company (SALIC). These agreements aim to collaborate in supporting and developing the entrepreneurial system in the agriculture sector through the implementation of initiatives and programs related to the “Sanbala” program.
On the sidelines of the event, an accompanying exhibition featured participation from several startup companies, showcasing visual presentations on agricultural marketing solutions and logistic services. This exhibition supports the goals of the program, aspiring to foster innovations, entrepreneurial talents, and sustainable solutions, encouraging Saudi youth to venture into entrepreneurship through available promising opportunities.
